A [[InSpace space]] {{opera}} is a work set in a far future space faring civilization, where the technology is ubiquitous and entirely secondary to the story. It has an epic character to it: The universe is big, there are lots of sprawling civilizations and empires, there are political conflicts and intrigues galore. Frequently it takes place in the StandardSciFiSetting. In perspective, it is a development of the PlanetaryRomance that looks beyond the exotic locations that were imagined for the local solar system in early science fiction ([[ScienceMarchesOn which the hard light of science revealed to be barren and lifeless]]) out into an infinite universe of imagined exotic locations.

Expect to see a dashing hero cavorting around in sleek, cigar-shaped {{Retro Rocket}}s, {{Green Skinned Space Babe}}s, CrystalSpiresAndTogas civilizations full of SpaceElves, {{Wave Motion Gun}}s capable of dealing an EarthShatteringKaboom on a daily basis, and an evil [[TheEmpire Galactic Empire]] with a StandardSciFiFleet, including an entire universe full of [[UsedFuture beat-up mechanical objects]] capable of being resurrected with PercussiveMaintenance.

Note that this is quite different from the original definition of space opera, which was derogatory. It arose from a long line of similar terms for substandard genre fiction: 'horse opera' was bad [[TheWildWest Western]] fiction and 'soap opera' (so named because soap operas began as hour-long ads for soap) was hackneyed drama. The phrase was coined in 1941 by Wilson Tucker to describe what he called "the hacky, grinding, stinking, outworn space-ship yarn". (It's said that before 1975 or so, the only author who ever intentionally set out to write a space opera was Creator/JackVance, who wrote a novel about an opera company in space.) Weirdly, this means that many works which were originally touted as examples of 'serious' science fiction, such as the ''Literature/{{Lensman}}'' series, are today held up as prime examples of SpaceOpera. As more authors and writers came to embrace the space opera style, the term came to lose many of its negative connotations. Assisting that process were writers who regarded all tales of action and adventure in space as bad, and so tried to pejoratively label it all "space opera"; [[AppropriatedAppellation they succeeded with the label, but not with keeping it pejorative.]]

PlanetaryRomance is an older variant, which is basically HeroicFantasy [[AC:In Space]] -- or on a [[EarthAllAlong Dying Earth]] of some sort. While works such as ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars'' and various fantasy novels set on a planet are PlanetaryRomance, characters like ''BuckRogers'' and ''ComicStrip/FlashGordon'' essentially codified the SpaceOpera concept in the popular imagination by the late 1930s.

''Franchise/StarWars'' is probably the most famous modern example of space opera. (Indeed, ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' was an important moment in changing "space opera" from an insult to a more neutral genre descriptor, due to the involvement of writer Creator/LeighBrackett.) In ''Star Wars'', technology is either [[MagicFromTechnology magic]] (the Force) or slightly faster versions of today's gadgets ([[FrickinLaserBeams blaster rifles]], hovercars, space ships) and the characters would be right at home in a fantasy novel ([[TheEmperor evil emperor]], {{farmboy}}, [[SaveThePrincess princess]]).

The genre is useful for long story- and character-[[StoryArc arcs]] but also expensive to film. Unless you do it in animated form, like dozens of {{anime}} series.

The opposite of Space Opera would probably be [[MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness Hard Science Fiction]]. In recent years, however, there has been a trend towards incorporating hard sci-fi elements ''into'' space opera, as in ''Anime/StarshipOperators'', the 2000s ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'', ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' or especially ''Literature/RevelationSpace'' -- in fact, "New Space Opera" has gained some currency as a term referring to works that combine fast-paced adventure plots with some degree of hard SF rigor.

See also TwoFistedTales, PulpMagazine, and WagonTrainToTheStars. In many ways, this is the [[SciFiCounterpart science fiction equivalent]] of HighFantasy.

Note that while many more famous space operas go to the "ideal" side of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism, more recent ones are [[MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness harder]] and more cynical: ''Series/BabylonFive'', ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' and ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' being most prominent in LiveActionTV.

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!!Examples

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[[folder:Anime and Manga]]* ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'', a large scale space opera set in the century old clash between an Empire and a Republic.* ''SpaceBattleshipYamato'', the first space opera anime and among the first space operas to use large scale battles between fleets of spacecraft. Among the first space operas to involve the legend Creator/{{Leiji Matsumoto}}.* The ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' franchise, notable for its ([[Anime/MobileSuitGundam00 usual]]) [[AbsentAliens lack of aliens]] and realistic space colonies.%%* The ''{{Macross}}'' franchise (including ''{{Robotech}}'', initially conceived as a parody of Gundam and Yamato.%%* ''SoukouNoStrain''%%* ''LightNovel/CrusherJoe'' First novel written by HarukaTakachio right after he saw StarWars.%%* ''Manga/SpaceAdventureCobra''%%* ''OutlawStar''%%* ''AngelLinks''%%* ''HeroicAge''%%* ''TheFiveStarStories''%%* ''Anime/{{Gankutsuou}}'': ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'' IN SPACE!%%* ''GingaSengokuGunyuudenRai''%%* ''{{Voltron}}'' (the vehicle one) / ''DairuggerXV''%%* ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman''%%* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', particularly the [[NonIndicativeFirstEpisode Non Indicative First Minute]], but also later on.%%* ''Anime/StellviaOfTheUniverse''%%* The works of Creator/LeijiMatsumoto.%%* ''LightNovel/{{Tytania}}'', the closest thing to an anime ''{{Dune}}'' and written by the same author as ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'' though it is an independent story.%%* ''GlassFleet''%%* ''LightNovel/CrestOfTheStars''%%* ''{{Vandread}}''%%* ''StarshipOperators'', notable for its extreme realism, one of the hardest space operas out there.%%* ''Manga/{{Outlanders}}''%%* ''{{Tenchi Muyo Ryo-Ohki}}'' has many Space Opera elements despite taking place mostly on Earth, while spinoff ''TenchiMuyoGXP'' and the second half of ''Anime/TenchiUniverse'' are clear-cut examples.* ''Manga/DragonBall'' gradually worked its way into this, starting with ''Dragon Ball Z''. Though the series initially concentrated on Earth-based stories, the Saiyan Saga was where things began to exhibit a more galactic scope.%%* ''IrresponsibleCaptainTylor''...[[PlayedForLaughs albeit slightly off]]%%* ''TowardTheTerra''%%* {{Trigun}} (more so in the manga).%%* ''CowboyBebop''[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]* ''ComicStrip/FlashGordon'' and ''BuckRogers'' are the {{Trope Codifier}}s, and both feature lots of {{Retro Rocket}}s and a [[TheEmpire Galactic Empire]] of some sort. ''Star Wars'' started after Lucas couldn't get the rights to ''Flash''. King Features, realizing their mistake, made the ''Film/FlashGordon'' film after ''Star Wars'' came out.** ''Flash Gordon'' is also a CaptainErsatz of ''BuckRogers'' -- see Literature below.%%* ''{{Valerian}}''* MarvelComics turned cosmic part of their SharedUniverse into one giant SpaceOpera, since 2006. Starting with [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} X-Men: Rise And Fall Of The Shi'Ar Empire]] and ComicBook/{{Annihilation}}, we got one epic story after another - AnnihilationConquest, WarOfKings, TheThanosImperative and adventures of many cosmic-themed heroes, like Comicbook/{{Nova}} and GuardiansOfTheGalaxy between them.* The whole ComicBook/MetabaronsUniverse - but particularly ''TheMetabarons''.* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'' has a foot firmly placed in SpaceOpera, especially for CrisisCrossover comics like ''SinestroCorpsWar'' where Sinestro himself [[spoiler: set the war up so [[XanatosGambit he wins either way.]]]]* ''ComicBook/{{X-Men}}'' ventures here occasionally, such as for ''TheDarkPhoenixSaga.''%%* ''ComicStrip/DanDare''%%* ''ComicBook/TheBalladOfHaloJones''%%* ''ComicBook/{{Saga}}''%%* ''ComicBook/{{Prophet}}''* ''ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures'' goes into Space Opera territory sometimes, such as for the Xadhoom Trilogy.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]%%* ''FanFic/UndocumentedFeatures''* ''FanFic/SoldToTheHighestBidder'' is a rather [[DarkFic dark]] one of these, covering the political, emotional, and interpersonal complications of an intergalactic [[SexSlave slave trade]]. [[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]* ''Franchise/StarWars'' is perhaps the most famous modern example (as noted in the main description), with its grand and fantastical tale of heroic rebels fighting against the evil Empire set "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."%%* ''Franchise/TheChroniclesOfRiddick''%%* ''Film/FlashGordon''. The film came out after ''Star Wars''.%%** ''Star Wars'' was originally going to be a GenreThrowback of the original ''[[Film/FlashGordonSerial Flash Gordon]]'' serials.%%* ''Film/BattleBeyondTheStars''%%* The ''Franchise/StarTrek'' films, except for ''[[Film/StarTrekIVTheVoyageHome The Voyage Home]]'', which [[OutOfGenreExperience was a comedy]] set on [[NextSundayAD then-modern]] Earth.%%* ''Film/TheFifthElement'', a SpaceOpera with [[AtTheOperaTonight an opera in space!]]%%* ''Film/TheLastStarfighter''%%* ''Film/{{Barbarella}}''%%* ''Film/TheIcePirates''%%* ''Kai: Death of Dreams''.%%* ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'' (although technically, it's a ''parody'' of space operas...)%%* ''WesternAnimation/StarchaserTheLegendOfOrin''%%* ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' (which also utilizes the genre of SF horror)%%* ''WesternAnimation/TitanAE''%%* ''{{Dune}}'' -- features a galactic jihad in a FeudalFuture containing Spacing Guilds and spice mines.%%* ''QueenOfOuterSpace''%%* ''The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy''%%* ''TransformersTheMovie''. some edits even have the OpeningCrawl.%%* ''[[FollowTheLeader Star Odyssey]]''%%* ''Film/{{Pandorum}}'' has a love story (Bower's wife), battles, a dashing hero (Mahn) and a insanely gorgeous female lead (Nadia).* ''Film/CaptainEO'', a Ride/DisneyThemeParks ThreeDMovie, is less than 20 minutes long but clearly takes place in this genre: A dashing hero with a [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits crew of misfit alien creatures]] is sent on a mission to transform a grim, H.R. Giger-esque planet. There's a skirmish with the evil Supreme Commander's fleet of starships, and later the heroes are taken captive by her forces -- but they use ThePowerOfRock to turn into it a land of CrystalSpiresAndTogas and its people (including the ruler) into happy, Day-Glo dancers. %%* The ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' film%%* ''Film/JupiterAscending.''[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]* The ''Literature/{{Lensman}}'' series by Creator/EEDocSmith is generally given as the [[UrExample defining example]], along with its predecessor and spiritual twin the ''Literature/SkylarkSeries''.* ''BuckRogers'', an early and influential example, is probably the TropeCodifier in [[PulpMagazine pulp fiction]].* ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars'' and other PlanetaryRomance novels contain elements of SpaceOpera, making it an UnbuiltTrope.%%* ''Literature/{{Dune}}.''* ''Literature/{{Foundation}}'', by Creator/IsaacAsimov, an extremely influential series inspired in part by Gibbon's ''Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'' and which in turn partly inspired ''StarWars''.%%* ''Literature/AncillaryJustice'' by Ann Leckie.%%* ''Literature/PerryRhodan'' series (over more than 2500 books that span from 1971 to 5050).%%* The ''Literature/HyperionCantos'', by Creator/DanSimmons%%* Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold's ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'', complete with an in-story Space Ballet.%%* Creator/AlastairReynolds' Literature/RevelationSpaceSeries actually ''does'' consider seriously how changes in technology would affect culture, even language.* The [[Literature/TheCulture Culture]] books by [[Creator/IainBanks Iain M. Banks]], although again it does have a society changed by technology - in particular near-perfect medicine and a lack of the need for money due to massive technological advances.%%* ''Literature/{{Lacuna}}'' is firmly in the "New Space Opera" (space opera with hard science) genre.%%* Creator/LarryNiven's ''Literature/KnownSpace'' universe.%%* The ''[[Literature/TowerAndTheHive Rowan]]'' series by Creator/AnneMcCaffrey.%%* Most of Peter F. Hamilton's books, though technological advances have significant societal and cultural impacts.%%** ''Literature/PandorasStar''%%* ''Literature/TheSagaOfSevenSuns''%%* [[ChurchOfHappyology Scientology]] founder Creator/LRonHubbard's opus ''Literature/BattlefieldEarth''.%%* DavidWeber has an extensive one in ''Literature/HonorHarrington''. As well as everything else he's written.%%* Creator/WalterJonWilliams' trilogy ''DreadEmpiresFall'' is space opera on the fairly hard science side.%%* Creator/AlanDeanFoster's ''HumanxCommonwealth'' series. It adopts many SpeculativeFiction tropes but plays them for SpaceOpera themes.* Stephen R. Donaldson's ''Literature/TheGapCycle'' is this, as it's Creator/RichardWagner's ''Theatre/RingOfTheNibelung'' cycle InSpace. Newer editions of the first volume have a cool author's note explaining how the dramatic elements (and thus, tropes) of {{Opera}} work in a sci-fi setting.%%* Creator/VernorVinge's ''Literature/ZonesOfThought'' series.%%* Creator/DavidBrin's ''Literature/{{Uplift}}.''%%* Creator/CJCherryh's enormous Literature/AllianceUnion universe. Probably the "[[MohsScaleOfScienceFictionHardness hardest]]" of all SpaceOpera, with FasterThanLightTravel being the only deviation from known physics.%%* Greg Egan's ''Literature/SchildsLadder''. Probably even harder than Literature/AllianceUnion, with no FasterThanLightTravel whatsoever.* Parodied and lampshaded in Creator/JackVance's ''Space Opera'', which is a space opera about - yes - a touring {{Opera}} company.** Many of Vance's works - such as ''Literature/TheDemonPrinces''- are more straightforward examples.%%* Parodied by Creator/HarryHarrison in his ''Literature/BillTheGalacticHero'' and ''Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers''.%%* ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' derives a lot of its humor through parodying space opera conventions. The unrealistic elements typical of the genre are either {{lampshaded}} or replaced with [[ItRunsOnNonsensoleum even sillier ideas]].%%* The ''Literature/SpaceCaptainSmith'' series by Toby Frost is a very tongue-in-cheek version.%%* Simon R. Green's ''Literature/{{Deathstalker}}'' books.%%** The ''Literature/{{Deathstalker}}'' series is both a parody and an homage to more traditional Space Opera's and exaggerating or taking various tropes to their most extreme conclusion.%%* Karin Lowachee's ''WarchildSeries''.* John Maddox Roberts' ''Space Angel'' has larger-than-life characters, epic space battles, exotic worlds, and an alien species that inhabits the cores of galaxies. Not a planet in the core of a galaxy, mind you - the ''whole core''.%%* Julie E. Czerneda's ''Literature/SpeciesImperative.''%%* John Barnes ''Occitan'' series.%%* Philip Reeve's ''Literature/{{Larklight}}'' series, which combines SpaceOpera with SteamPunk.%%* Stephen Baxter's ''Literature/XeeleeSequence'' may well be the ultimate example in terms of scale, as well as being much harder sci-fi than the average space opera.%%* MargaretWeis' tetralogy ''Literature/TheStarOfTheGuardians''.* Creator/EdmondHamilton: Has big love stories, epic space battles, oversized heroes and villains, awe-inspiring places, gorgeous women, and they usually rule the universe - or at least a star kingdom to boot.%%* The ''Literature/{{Stardoc}}'' series has elements of both this and MedicalDrama.%%* ''Literature/SpaceVulture'', a GenreThrowback to the original pulp SpaceOpera, by Gary K. Wolf and Archbishop John J. Meyers.%%* The Commamder Toad picture books by Creator/JaneYolen are a parody of space opera.%%* MichaelFlynn's ''Literature/SpiralArm'' series%%* JohnCWright's ''Literature/CountToTheEschaton''%%* ''Literature/TheSiranthaJaxSeries'' by Ann Aguirre.%%* ''Literature/TheFlightEngineer'' trilogy by S.M. Sterling and JamesDoohan.%%* ''Literature/TheConquerorsTrilogy'' by TimothyZahn.%%* Hugh Howey's ''Molly Fyde'' series is a Young Adult version.%%* ''Literature/TheStarsMyDestination.''%%* ''Literature/FutureHistory'', a novella set in this genre.* ''Literature/TheirsNotToReasonWhy'' is firmly in SpaceOpera territory, with PsychicPowers, EnergyBeings, multiple types of FasterThanLight, etc.* ''BALADA'' by Solea Razvan, the first book's tagline is: When the universe is at war, which side are you on?; nuff said.* Adam Christopher's ''The Burning Dark'' uses a Space Opera setting for what is basically a haunted [[strike: house]] space station story, [[spoiler: Throwing in Eldritch Abominations in towards the end for flavor]][[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]* ''Franchise/StarTrek'', perhaps the most famous example in television, with its grand tales of interstellar exploration, romance, intrigue, and war. Though there is (some) serious consideration of how technology and science would change society (not surprising, given that creator Creator/GeneRoddenberry originally envisioned using the setting to address social issues that could not have been dealt with in a normal drama back in the [=60s=]). Coincidentally, there was in fact a Star Trek Opera performed on stage in New York.%%* ''Series/{{Farscape}}''%%* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica1978'' and ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' are at opposite ends of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism%%* ''Series/{{Andromeda}}''%%* Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy is one of the clearest examples in the franchise, but Series/PowerRangersInSpace started to drift this way before the season ended.* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'', which has the unusual distinction of being both a SpaceOpera [[SpaceWestern and a]] [[TheWestern Horse Opera]].%%* ''Series/BabylonFive''* The Franchise/StargateVerse is a borderline example. Technically the center-of-operations is on a single planet (Earth in ''Series/StargateSG1'', the Atlantis base in ''Series/StargateAtlantis''), but with the instant wormholes provided by the Stargate, the bases function like a spaceship or space station in a standard Space Opera, as far as most story purposes go. Both series also have the Big Universe, Big Empires, Big Heroes, and Big Villains elements in spades, and it gets bigger yet once Earth has a space fleet. However, many individual episodes, especially in early seasons, feel more like PlanetaryRomance. ''Series/StargateUniverse'', the second spin-off, is probably closer to a traditional Space Opera.%%* ''SpaceCases''%%* ''{{Lexx}}''%%* Although ''Series/{{Doctor Who}}'' is not itself a Space Opera, a couple of individual stories are:%%** ''The Daleks' Master Plan''%%** ''The Space Pirates''%%** ''Frontier In Space''%%** Oddly enough "The Daleks Master Plan" and its teaser episode "Mission to the Unknown" feels like an Unbuilt Trope version of the sort of stories "Star Trek" popularised. "Mission to the Unknown" has the Space agent Marc Cory discovering the Dalek plot to invade the Solar System but gets killed before he can even send a message of warning.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]* ''The Amory Wars,'' a {{metafiction}}al SpaceOpera comprised of five {{Concept Album}}s by CoheedAndCambria.%%* ''{{Ayreon}}'' is this trope.%%* Music/IronSavior is this too. Their first five albums (and a EP) are almost entirely the story of the titular starship.[[/folder]]

%%[[folder:Newspapers]]%%* The long-running ''The Stars My Degradation'', (a parody of the Alfred Bester classic SF novel ''The Stars My Destination''), a cartoon strip that ran in the ''Sounds'' music paper in the 1970's-80's:%%--> ''Dempster Dingbuster is my name, Sputwang is my nation;''%%--> ''The depths of space gob in my face,''%%-->''The stars, my degradation.''%%* It was drawn and written by a then-nearly-unknown Creator/AlanMoore. Examples may be seen '''[[http://sequart.org/magazine/8899/alan-moore-the-stars-my-degradation/ here]]'''%%[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'': the backstory and novels put the [[SoapOpera Soap]] back in SpaceOpera.* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' is overloaded UpToEleven with adventure, battles, intrigue, and fantasy (including SpaceElves, [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orks]], and even Gods), all in a setting where mankind possesses a galaxy-spanning empire with planet-spanning cities and a population in the trillions. However it's also overloaded with about as much cynicism, grimness, and darkness as you can ''get'' (hence the common description "grimdark").%%* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech''. The RPG, as distinguished from the series below.%%* ''TabletopGame/StarFrontiers'' was TSR's attempt to do D&D in a space opera setting* ''{{Traveller}}'' was the first RPG set in the Space Opera genre, and set the standard for those that followed. It's in the "semi-hardened" category of SpaceOpera and an incredible amount of work went into the {{Backstory}} including fairly realistic science and social science. Traveller is flexible enough that a wide variety of flavors of SpaceOpera can be played, since the setting is a FramingDevice of sorts.* The forgotten board game ''Imperium'' was used as a source for some of the {{Traveller}} universe. It depicts a young and expansionist [[TheRepublic republic]] on earth, conquering a VestigialEmpire in space. There are a number of other SpaceOpera board wargames, but this one is notable for historical reasons.%%* ''FadingSuns''%%* There was a RPG '''named''' ''Space Opera''.%%* The Cathedral setting in ''TabletopGame/BigEyesSmallMouth'' is intended for this kind of adventure.%%* The TabletopGame/StarDrive setting originally made for the TabletopGame/{{Alternity}} system and later reused for TabletopGame/D20Modern.%%* Pacesetter's 1980s ''TabletopGame/StarAce'' RPG -- definitely at least somewhat in the spirit of ''Franchise/StarWars'', but set in its own original universe with fewer mystical undertones.* ''{{Rifts}}'' has the Three Galaxies setting, a Space Opera with the same blend of magic, technology, and plain weirdness as the main setting. As may be expected, it's way way down on the hardness scale, but it has pretty much all the elements of the StandardSciFiSetting.* Despite ''TabletopGame/RocketAge'' only covering our solar system, the epic themes and intrigues of space opera are definitely there. Just replace TheEmpire with actual Nazis.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]%%* ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath'' has some of this. It's mixed with South Asian Mythology.* The ''{{Franchise/Halo}}'' series is a blend of this and more conventional MilitaryScienceFiction, with the games mostly set on the exotic and ancient artificial worlds created by the [[{{Precursors}} Forerunners]], whose own technological feats [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien border on the outright fantastical]]. Additionally, the franchise as a whole has shown plenty of the intrigue, mystery, and adventure to be had in a multi-species setting spanning the Orion Arm and beyond, filled with LostTechnology and complete with a galaxy-threatening EldritchAbomination.* Creator/{{Bungie}}'s next IP ''Videogame/{{Destiny}}'' is a more direct example, set in a distant, fantastical future where intrepid Guardians [[TheChosenMany wielding the power of "The Traveler"]] seek to reclaim humanity's lost empire from "The Darkness". The creators themselves [[http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-03-18-bungie-destinys-scifi-fantasy-setting-gave-us-this-freedom described the setting as]] "mythic science fiction" and a "mix of science fiction and fantasy", with the game being something of a throwback to the idealistic HighFantasy roots of the genre.* The ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series could be seen as putting the Opera back into Space Operas, with lavish and often dreamy environments, exotic cultures, and tales of great personal tragedy. At the same time, it ranks suprisingly high on the [[MohsScaleOfScienceFictionHardness Scale Of Science Fiction Hardness]], is quite serious in tone, and takes place in the relatively near future (2180s to be precise). Like many other newer Space Operas, it also has LovecraftLite elements thanks to the series' main antagonists, the Reapers.* ''VideoGame/SentinelWorldsIFutureMagic'' can be seen as a spiritual predecessor to ''Mass Effect'': you play as a BadassCrew of a CoolStarship sent to a remote star system to deal with enigmatic [[SpacePirates space raiders]] who keep attacking civilian freighters. Along the way, you may get into space dogfights, explore strange planets in an all-terrain vehicle, and blast away enemies on-foot with lasers and other futuristic guns.%%* ''StarControl''%%* Many a science fiction TBSG (turn based strategy game) - most prominently ''VideoGame/MasterOfOrion II''%%* ''VideoGame/WingCommander''%%* ''VideoGame/StarFox'' mixes {{Funny Animal}}s with SpaceOpera.%%* ''EveOnline''%%* ''{{Freespace}}''* The ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, although this slides more towards AfterTheEnd PlanetaryRomance in the context of individual games. Played straight with ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime Hunters'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime 3: Corruption'', as they are the only games in the franchise that internally take place on multiple planets, and the latter shows a bigger interaction with the Galactic Federation.%%* ''TotalAnnihilation''%%* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}: DawnOfWar''%%* ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}''%%* ''VideoGame/GalaxyAngel'' gameverse%%* ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}''* ''VideoGame/AdventRising'': You play as the SoleSurvivor of a human world that has been destroyed by aliens. Another alien race takes pity on him and helps him develop his latent psychic potential to basically become a demigod and take the fight back to those other aliens who destroyed his homerworld, getting involved in epic space battles all throughout.%%* ''InfiniteSpace''%%* ''VideoGame/ColonyWars''* ''RatchetAndClank'', a space opera with a hefty dose of WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes [[XMeetsY thrown in]].* The ''StarOcean'' series, when you aren't exploring underdeveloped planets.%%* ''{{Spore}}'s'' Space Stage.%%* ''{{Otherspace}}''%%* ''VideoGame/MechQuest'' and ''VideoGame/WarpForce'' by Creator/ArtixEntertainment.%%* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'', depending on the plot and series involved.%%* ''VideoGame/LegacyOfAThousandSuns''%%* ''VideoGame/{{Killzone}}''%%* ''VideoGame/SinsOfASolarEmpire''%%* {{VideoGame/Zigfrak}}%%* ''VisualNovel/{{Sunrider}}''* ''[[http://www.moddb.com/mods/grand-theft-auto-anderius GTA Anderius]]'' a.k.a Alien City. A [[CloudCuckooLand very wacky]] [[GameMod total conversion]] of ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas San Andreas]]'', although only available in Russian. * ''VideoGame/CrisisOfTheConfederation'', a GameMod based on ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings II'', retains the original game's focus on dramatic character actions and interactions and [[RecycledInSpace transplants it to an outer-space setting]].[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]* ''Literature/SPARKOfTyranny'' is a SpaceOpera with an AntiHero Captain and his RagtagBunchOfMisfits, struggling against the [[EvilPlan behind the scenes machinations]] of the [[HumanoidAliens Kilon]] [[TheEmpire Federation]], which has created a VichyEarth.%%* ''TheEndlessNight''%%* ''OrionsArm'', a [[{{Transhuman}} transhumanist]] SpaceOpera.%%* ''Literature/ArtemisNeo''%%* ''Literature/CaelumLex''%%* ''Literature/TheLastAngel''[[/folder]]